Robert Jensen Dau Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Lake Forest, IL EIN: 47-3548984

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lake Forest, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 10 grants totaling $128K. Net investment income was $50K.

Key facts about Robert Jensen Dau Foundation

In short: Robert Jensen Dau Foundation gave $128K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Michigan. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
47-3548984
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$127,605
Grants made (2025)
10
Average grant
$12,761
Median grant
$4,500
New grantees (estimate)
10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2025)
Total assets
$1,498,491
Primary geography
Michigan (50% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.5M

-7.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$128K

+2.1% YoY

Grant Count

10

+11.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$13K

-8.1% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert Jensen Dau Foundation reported a distributable amount of $174K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Robert Jensen Dau Foundation open to new grantees?

10%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of all 10 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

PetoskeyWashingtonArlingtonBay HarborNew YorkGlencoeKenilworthPalm DesertCharlevoixHarbor SpringsAlexandriaBig RapidsChapel HillCoconut CreekEast LansingGaithersburgGrand HavenMontgomeryVineyard HavenWalloon Lake

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K15 grants201912 grants202018 grants202112 grants202210 grants20239 grants202410 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Great Lakes Center for the Arts: $52KGreat Lakes Center for theArts$52KPen America: $33KPen America$33KChicago Botanic Garden: $20KChicago Botanic Garden$20KChurch of the Holy Comforter: $5KChurch of the Holy Comforter$5KCity Kids Wilderness Project: $5KCity Kids Wilderness Project$5KBay View Chamber Music: $4KBay View Chamber Music$4KBay View Association: $3KBay View Association$3KPetoskey Harbor Springs Community Foundation: $3KPetoskey Harbor SpringsCommunity Foundation$3KCharlevoix-Emmet Isd: $2KCharlevoix-Emmet Isd$2KSt Margarets Church: $1KSt Margarets Church$1K

Grant Size Distribution

59 grants across all recorded years

57<$50K2$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
GREAT LAKES CENTER FOR THE ARTS Bay Harbor, MIGENERAL FUNDS$51,500
PEN AMERICA New York, NYTO FUND THE ROBERT J DAU SHORT STORY PRIZE FOR EMERGING WRITERS.$33,000
CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN Glencoe, ILGENERAL FUNDS$20,000
CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMFORTER Kenilworth, ILGENERAL FUNDS$5,000
CITY KIDS WILDERNESS PROJECT Washington, DCGENERAL FUNDS$5,000
BAY VIEW CHAMBER MUSIC Petoskey, MISPONSORSHIP OF MUSIC SERIES$4,000
BAY VIEW ASSOCIATION Petoskey, MIMUSICIAN SCHOLARSHIP$3,250
PETOSKEY HARBOR SPRINGS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Petoskey, MISCHLORSHIPS TO PETOSKEY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS$3,000
CHARLEVOIX-EMMET ISD Charlevoix, MIGENERAL FUNDS$1,855
ST MARGARETS CHURCH Palm Desert, CAMUSIC FUND$1,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K2019202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,498,491$1,614,919$1,577,717
Revenue$82,370$197,170$21,530
Expenses$198,798$159,968$121,401
Qualifying Distributions$170,359$134,419$102,525
Net Investment Income$49,931$171,621$11,562
Distributable Amount$173,574$163,645$140,677

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 5, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 17, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 31, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 26, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 20, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 1, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 4, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation is led by Fernanda D. Fisher, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Fernanda D. Fisher

    President

    On filings since 2019

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian T. Fisher

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sofie Fisher

    Secretary

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Kirk Hoopingarner (2022–2024) — Secretary
  • Former: Robert T. Napier (2019–2021) — Secretary

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Robert Jensen Dau Foundation

How much does Robert Jensen Dau Foundation give each year?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation gave $128K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $125K across 9 grants.

What is Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's typical grant size?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,500, and its average grant was $12,761, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert Jensen Dau Foundation that year got $4K on average.

Where does Robert Jensen Dau Foundation give grants?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation gives mostly in Michigan: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (26%) and Illinois (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Petoskey, MI (3 grants).

Does Robert Jensen Dau Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 50% of Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's largest grantees?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Great Lakes Center for the Arts ($51,500), Pen America ($33,000) and Chicago Botanic Garden ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Robert Jensen Dau Foundation?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $170K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $174K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Robert Jensen Dau Foundation?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lake Forest, IL. It holds $1.5M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's EIN?

Robert Jensen Dau Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3548984. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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